Lifesaving Men B vaccine introduced

Campaigners across the country are today celebrating the roll out of a lifesaving vaccine for deadly meningococcal group B (Men B) disease, a common cause of meningitis

Over the next decade the vaccine could potentially prevent more than 4,000 cases of meningococcal disease in children under five in the UK.

From 1 September the UK becomes the first country in the world to offer its newborn babies the new vaccine Bexsero via a national health service.

We, along with our supporters, have campaigned for over two years to see the ground-breaking vaccine free on the NHS.

“I’m absolutely elated that we now have this vaccine being used to protect our babies."

“I’ve waited 33 years since losing my baby to the same strain for this day to happen."

“So many lives and so much misery will now be spared - more than 4,000 cases of meningococcal disease in children younger than five in the UK could potentially be prevented over the next decade by this vaccine*.”

*Over the past two decades in the UK, confirmed cases of meningococcal disease have ranged from 2,750 to 750 annually. This is likely to be an underestimate, because not all cases will have been referred to the laboratory for confirmation.